Copa Airlines begins nonstop service to Chiclayo, Peru

The new route will foster economic development in northern Peru, opening new opportunities for commercial and tourism ties with the rest of the American continent, say airline officials

Panama City, Panama, June 28, 2016

Copa Airlines {NYSE: CPA}, a subsidiary of Copa Holdings, S.A. and member of the Star Alliance global airline network, today begins direct nonstop flights between the airline’s Hub of the Americas at Tocumen International Airport in Panama City, Panama and the historic city of Chiclayo, Peru. The airline’s twice-weekly flights will increase connectivity between northern Peru and Copa’s extensive route network, which consists of 74 destinations in 31 countries in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean.

“We are very pleased to bring new air travel options to Chiclayo and neighboring cities in northern Peru through the Hub of the Americas in Panama,” said Pedro Heilbron, CEO of Copa Airlines. “For 17 years, Copa has offered Peru the best connectivity with the rest of the American continent. Copa’s new Panama-Chiclayo flight has the potential to generate tourism and trade between this interesting city and the rest of the American continent.”

Known as the “City of Friendship” for its hospitality, Chiclayo is the site of recent major architectural discoveries and is a popular vacation destination. Chiclayo is known for attractions such as the Túcume pyramids, the Municipal Palace, its cathedrals, the ornamental tomb of the Lord of Sipán, and the Witch Doctors Market featuring articles used by shaman healers.

Located 770 Km (approximately 479 miles) from the Peruvian capital in the northeast part of the country, Chiclayo offers a wealth of archeological ruins; historical, cultural, and religious sites; handicrafts; highly regarded cuisine; and area beaches and spas. Nearby are the Pómac Forest Historical Sanctuary, the Chaparrí Ecological Reserve and Laquipampa Wildlife Refuge – protected areas that preserve the biodiversity of the dry forests and native and endangered species.

“Foreign visitors should think of Chiclayo as a window to the Moche culture -- the most well-known and admired culture of Peru after the Incan -- that developed during the second and seventh centuries AD on the northern coast of Peru,” said Peruvian Ambassador to Panama Marco V. Balarezo. “From an artistic point of view, this is the most representative and important culture of ancient Peru. Tourists should also visit the city of Chan Chan and other major archeological ruins of the Moche culture, as well as attractions in Trujillo, the third most important city of Peru, located only three hours away from Chiclayo by highway.”

Copa Airlines’ new flight launches as the number of Panamanian tourists visiting Peru is on the rise. Between 2014 and 2015, the number of Panamanians visiting Peru grew 7.2 percent. The Peruvian government’s promotional activities in Panama are influencing that growth, Ambassador Balarezo said.

“This new route will allow us to generate business and tourism in the Lambayeque region, and increase added-value exports from the country,” Ambassador Balarezo added.

Flights between Panama and Chiclayo are timed to offer the most convenient connections to the Peruvian city from major cities on the continent, including Miami, New York, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., in the United States; Havana, Cuba; Punta Cana, Dominican Republic; Bogota, Barranquilla and Cartagena, Colombia; and other major cities of Central, North and South America and the Caribbean.

Currently Copa Airlines operates an average of 315 daily departures and arrivals through its Hub of the Americas at Tocumen International Airport, with the most international flights of any airport in Latin America. Copa’s on-time performance of 91.69 percent has earned the airline OAG honors as No. 1 on-time airline in Latin America and No. 2 in the world.